further adventures of lad-第2节

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dogs　that　learn　the　Law　by　instinct；　and　that　remember　for　all　time　a　command　or　a　prohibition　once　given　them。

For　example：On　his　second　day　at　the　Place；　he　made　a　furious　rush　at　a　neurotic　mother　hen　and　her　golden　convoy　of　chicks。　The　Mistress；luckily　for　all　concerned；was　within　call。　At　her　sharp　summons　the　puppy　wheeled；　midway　in　his　charge；　and　trotted　back　to　her。　Severely；　yet　trying　not　to　laugh　at　his　worried　aspect；　she　scolded　Lad　for　his　misdeed。

An　hour　later；　as　Lad　was　scampering　ahead　of　her；　past　the　stables；　they　rounded　a　corner　and　came　flush　upon　the　same　nerve…wrecked　hen　and　her　brood。　Lad　halted　in　his　scamper；　with　a　suddenness　that　made　him　skid。　Then；　walking　as　though　on　eggs；　he　made　an　idiotically　wide　circle　about　the　feathered　dam　and　her　silly　chicks。　Never　thereafter　did　he　assail　any　of　the　Place's　fowls。

It　was　the　same；　when　he　sprang　up　merrily　at　a　line　of　laundry；　flapping　in　alluring　invitation　from　the　drying　ground　lines。　A　single　word　of　rebuke；and　thenceforth　the　family　wash　was　safe　from　him。

And　so　on　with　the　myriad　perplexing　〃Don'ts〃　which　spatter　the　career　of　a　fun…loving　collie　pup。　Versed　in　the　patience…fraying　ways　of　pups　in　general；　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　marveled　and　bragged　and　praised。

All　day　and　every　day；　life　was　a　delight　to　the　little　dog。　He　had　friends　everywhere；　willing　to　romp　with　him。　He　had　squirrels　to　chase；　among　the　oaks。　He　had　the　lake　to　splash　ecstatically　in：　He　had　all　he　wanted　to　eat；　and　he　had　all　the　petting　his　hungry　little　heart　could　crave。

He　was　even　allowed；　with　certain　restrictions；　to　come　into　the　mysterious　house　itself。　Nor；　after　one　defiant　bark　at　a　leopard…skin　rug；　did　he　molest　anything　therein。　In　the　house；　too；　he　found　a　genuine　cave：a　wonderful　place　to　lie　and　watch　the　world　at　large；　and　to　stay　cool　in　and　to　pretend　he　was　a　wolf。　The　cave　was　the　deep　space　beneath　the　piano　in　the　music　room。　It　seemed　to　have　a　peculiar　charm　to　Lad。　To　the　end　of　his　days；　by　the　way；　this　cave　was　his　chosen　resting　place。　Nor；　in　his　lifetime；　did　any　other　dog　set　foot　therein。

So　much　for　〃all　day　and　every　day。〃　But　the　nights　were　different。

Lad　hated　the　nights。　In　the　first　place；　everybody　went　to　bed　and　left　him　alone。　In　the　second；　his　hard…hearted　owners　made　him　sleep　on　a　fluffy　rug　in　a　corner　of　the　veranda　instead　of　in　his　delectable　piano…cave。　Moreover；　there　was　no　food　at　night。　And　there　was　nobody　to　play　with　or　to　go　for　walks　with　or　to　listen　to。　There　was　nothing　but　gloom　and　silence　and　dullness。　When　a　puppy　takes　fifty　cat…naps　in　the　course　of　the　day；　he　cannot　always　be　expected　to　sleep　the　night　through。　It　is　too　much　to　ask。　And　Lad's　waking　hours　at　night　were　times　of　desolation　and　of　utter　boredom。　True；　he　might　have　consoled　himself；　as　does　many　a　lesser　pup；　with　voicing　his　woes　in　a　series　of　melancholy　howls。　That；　in　time；　would　have　drawn　plenty　of　human　attention　to　the　lonely　youngster；　even　if　the　attention　were　not　wholly　flattering。

But　Lad　did　not　belong　to　the　howling　type。　When　he　was　unhappy；　he　waxed　silent。　And　his　sorrowful　eyes　took　on　a　deeper　woe。　By　the　way；　if　there　is　anything　more　sorrowful　than　the　eyes　of　a　collie　pup　that　has　never　known　sorrow；　I　have　yet　to　see　it。

No；　Lad　could　not　howl。　And　he　could　not　hunt　for　squirrels。　For　these　enemies　of　his　were　not　content　with　the　unsportsmanliness　of　climbing　out　of　his　reach　in　the　daytime；　when　he　chased　them；　but　they　added　to　their　sins　by　joining　the　rest　of　the　world；except　Lad；in　sleeping　all　night。　Even　the　lake　that　was　so　friendly　by　day　was　a　chilly　and　forbidding　playfellow　on　the　cool　North　Jersey　nights。

There　was　nothing　for　a　poor　lonely　pup　to　do　but　stretch　out　on　his　rug　and　stare　in　unhappy　silence　up　the　driveway；　in　the　impossible　hope　that　someone　might　happen　along　through　the　darkness　to　play　with　him。

At　such　an　hour　and　in　such　lonesomeness；　Lad　would　gladly　have　tossed　aside　all　prejudices　of　caste；and　all　his　natural　dislikes；　and　would　have　frolicked　in　mad　joy　with　the　veriest　stranger。　Anything　was　better　than　this　drear　solitude　throughout　the　million　hours　before　the　first　of　the　maids　should　be　stirring　or　the　first　of　the　farmhands　report　for　work。　Yes；　night　was　a　disgusting　time；　and　it　had　not　one　single　redeeming　trait　for　the　puppy。

Lad　was　not　even　consoled　by　the　knowledge　that　he　was　guarding　the　slumbrous　house。　He　was　not　guarding　it。　He　had　not　the　very　remotest　idea　what　it　meant　to　be　a　watchdog。　In　all　his　five　months　he　had　never　learned　that　there　is　unfriendliness　in　the　world；　or　that　there　is　anything　to　guard　a　house　against。

True；　it　was　instinctive　with　him　to　bark　when　People　came　down　the　drive；　or　appeared　at　the　gates　without　warning。　But　more　than　once　the　Master　had　bidden　him　be　silent　when　a　rackety　Puppy　salvo　of　barking　had　broken　in　on　the　arrival　of　some　guest。　And　Lad　was　still　in　perplexed　doubt　as　to　whether　barking　was　something　forbidden　or　merely　limited。

One　night；a　solemn；　black；　breathless　August　night；　when　half…visible　heat　lightning　turned　the　murk　of　the　western　horizon　to　pulses　of　dirty　sulphur；　Lad　awoke　from　a　fitful　dream　of　chasing　squirrels　which　had　never　learned　to　climb。

He　sat　up　on　his　rug；　blinking　around　through　the　gloom　in　the　half　hope　that　some　of　those　non…climbing　squirrels　might　still　be　in　sight。　As　they　were　not；　he　sighed　unhappily　and　prepared　to　lay　his　classic　young　head　back　again　on　the　rug　for　another　spell　of　night…shortening　sleep。

But；　before　his　head　could　touch　the　rug；　he　reared　it　and　half　of　his　small　body　from　the　floor　and　focused　his　nearsighted　eyes　on　the　driveway。　At　the　same　time；　his　tail　began　to　wag　a　thumping　welcome。

Now；　by　day；　a　dog　cannot　see　so　far　nor　so　clearly　as　can　a　human。　But　by　night；for　comparatively　short　distances；he　can　see　much　better　than　can　his　master。　By　day　or　by　darkness；　his　keen　hearing　and　keener　scent　make　up　for　all　defects　of　eyesight。

And　now　three　of　Lad's　senses　told　him　he　was　no　longer　alone　in　his　tedious　vigil。　Down　the　drive；　moving　with　amusing　slowness　and　silence；　a　man　was　coming。　He　was　on　foot。　And　he　was　fairly　well　dressed。　Dogs；　the　foremost　snobs　in　creation；are　quick　to　note　the　difference　between　a　well…clad　and　a　disreputable　stranger。

Here　unquestionably　was　a　visitor：some　such　man　as　so　often　came　to　the　Place　and　paid　such　flattering　attention　to　the　puppy。　No　longer　need　Lad　be　bored　by　the　solitude　of　this　particular　night。　Someone　was　coming　towards　the　house；and　carrying　a　small　bag　under　his　arm。　Someone　to　make　friends　with。　Lad　was　very　happy。

Deep　in　his　throat　a　welcoming　bark　was　born。　But　he　stilled　it。　Once；　when　he　had　barked　at　the　approach　of　a　stranger；　the　stranger　had　gone　away。　If　this　stranger　were　to　go　away；　all　the　night's　fun　would　go　with　him。　Also；　no　later　than　yesterday；　the　Master　had　scolded　Lad　for　barking　at　a　man　who　had　called。　Wherefore　the　dog　held　his　peace。

Getting　to　his　feet　and　stretching　himself；　fore　and　aft；　in　true　collie　fashion；　the　pup　gamboled　up　the　drive　to　meet　the　visitor。

The　man　was　feeling　his　way　through　the　pitch　darkness；　groping　cautiously；　halting　once　or　twice　for　a　smolder　of　lightning　to　silhouette　the　house　he　was　nearing。　In　a　wooded　lane；　a　quarter　mile　away；　his　lightless　motor　car　waited。

Lad　trotted　up　to　him；　the　tiny　white　feet　noiseless　in　the　soft　dust　of　the　drive。　The　man　did　not　see　him；　but　passed　so　close　to　the　dog's　hospitably　upthrust　nose　that　he　all　but　touched　it。

Only　slightly　rebuffed　at　such　chill　lack　of　cordiality；　Lad　fell　in　behind　him；　tail　awag；　and　followed　him　to　the　porch。　When　the　guest　should　ring　the　bell；　the　Master　or　one　of　the　maids　would　come　to　the　door。　There　would　be　lights　and　talk；　and　perhaps　Laddie　himself　might　be　allowed　to　slip　in　to　his　beloved　cave。

But　the　man　did　not　ring。　He　did　not　stop　at　the　door　at　all。　On　tiptoe　he　skirted　the　veranda　to　the　old…fashioned　bay　windows　at　the　south　side　of　the　living　room；　windows　with　catches　as　old…fashioned　and　as　simple　to　open　as　themselves。

Lad　padded　along；　a　pace　or　so　to　the　rear；still　hopeful　of　being　petted　or　perhaps　even　romped　with。　The　man　gave　a　faint　but　promising　sign　of　intent　to　romp；　by　swinging　his　small　and　very　shiny　brown　bag　to　and　fro　as　he　walked。　Thus　ever　did　the　Master　swing　Lad's　precious　canton　flannel　doll　before　throwing　it　for　him　to　retrieve。　Lad　made　a　tentative　snap　at　the　bag；　his　tail　wagging　harder　than　ever。　But　he　missed　it。　And；　in　another　moment　the　man　stopped　swinging　the　bag　and　tucked　it　under　his　arm　again　as　he　began　to　mumble　with　a　bit　of　steel。

There　was　the　very　faintest　of　clicks。　Then；　noiselessly　the　window　slid　upward。　A　second　fumbling　sent　the　wooden　inside　shutters　ajar。　The　man　worked　with　no　uncertainty。　Ever　since　his　visit　to　the　Place；　a　week　earlier；　behind　the　aegis　of　a　big　and　bright　and　newly　forged　telephone…inspector　badge；　he　had　carried　in　his　trained　memory　the　location　of　windows　and　of　obstructing　furniture　and　of　the　primitive　small　safe　in　the　living　room　wall；　with　its　pitifully　pickable　lock；the　sa